Canis Major
by Nyodrite
Summary: Sensei looked at him, "Who is that?" - "He said to call him Inu no Taisho," Kakashi answered. "He's the Boss ninken summon."
1. Meeting the Boss

Kakashi swallowed as his sensei left, the words the man had just spoken sounded far too much like a goodbye for him to be comfortable but it wasn't as if _he_ could do anything-...Except that was a _lie_, he realized suddenly before biting his thumb and pushing everything he had into it as he flew through hand seals as quickly as he could, "_Kuchiyose no Jutsu_!"

It was a man whom appeared- golden eyed (narrowed slightly in annoyance), silver haired (worn in a high pony tail that reminded Kakashi of his father) with blue markings on his cheeks and wearing a white kimono and hakama, armored boots, a long flowing sash, a breastplate with a spiked rim, vambraces, armored gauntlets and a layered spiked pauldron on each shoulder. He also had a parted pelt that extended from both shoulders and trailed behind him along with three swords- two at his waist and one on his back.

"Why have you called me." As calmly as it was said, there was no mistaking that this was a demand.

Kakashi was not intimidated because he was a shinobi and, more importantly, this was for Sensei's benefit, "Can you stop the Kyuubi?"

"What is your name." The man stated instead, ignoring the demon fox's roar.

He eyed the appearance of Gamabunta and knew time was running out but answered anyways in hopes that the other would help faster, "Hatake Kakashi."

"You may call me Inu no Taisho." the man stated, turning his attention towards the Kyuubi before giving a brisk nod. "I shall assist you in this deed you have requested, Hatake Kakashi."

That was all Inu no Taisho said before grabbing Kakashi and jumping- farther then any shinobi could- then taking off at a run to where Gamabunta faced the Kyuubi at a speed faster then any _Shunshin_. The man leapt once more, landing beside Sensei, whom tensed, but ignoring the blond entirely in favor for the rampaging fox.

Sensei remained tense, tugging Kakashi to him when Inu no Taisho released him, "Who are you?"

"It matters not, human." Inu no Taisho retorted, "You need only know that I will stop this Yōko kit from further damaging your village." Then his attention was returned to the Kyuubi as he barked out a command, "Stop, Kyuubi no Yōko, before I am required to use force!"

Kakashi was shocked when the fox replied, **"You do not command me!"**

"Very well," Inu no Taisho murmured, "Force it is then."

Then the man leapt from Gamabunta, towards the fox, and _shifted_ into a gigantic dog (so large it dwarfed the Kyuubi) with a single blue jagged stripe on each cheek, red eyes and twin streaks of fur running down his back. Inu no Taisho moved swiftly, after flicking a Bijūdama up into the sky and seeming to _blow_ on it (which made sense when the Bijūdama went off harmlessly inside of a barrier above them), darting at the Kyuubi then using his mouth to grab the fox by the scruff and shaking it like a naughty pup, **_"Desist."_**

And, amazingly, the Kyuubi stopped, hanging almost _complacently_ inside the larger one's grip.

Sensei looked at him, "Who is that?"

"He said to call him Inu no Taisho," Kakashi answered. "He's the Boss ninken summon."

* * *

**A/N: **This idea wouldn't leave me alone, thus I made it a one-shot. It might become a drabble series if enough people ask for it to be continued.


	2. Control

**Control**

**.**

_**Takes place immediately after CH.1 (more or less).**_

* * *

.

"-ve a means to completely control the Kyuubi." One of the Council was saying.

Another added, "Plus Hatake's summon is even _more_ powerful then it-"

Which, admittedly, _was_ the truth given how easily Inu no Taisho bullied the Kyuubi- treating the feared fox demon like misbehaved pup. Kakashi knew that Kushina had let out a startled burst of laughter when she had found out.

"-as complete control over it."

Now _that_ drew his attention, and he stared a bit in disbelief at the one who said it. This, of course, captured Sensei's attention who asked, "Is that correct, Kakashi? Do you have complete control over the Boss Ninken?"

Kakashi thought- of piercing gold eyes, of calm sentences that felt like orders, of refusal to even acknowledge the situation until _after_ the orders were met, of speed faster then any _shunshin_, of an alternate form that dwarfed a Bijū, of neutralizing a Bijūdama with only a breath, of the Kyuubi _submitting_\- and said, "No. I may have summoned Inu no Taisho but he _chose_ to help of his own violation then because I ordered him."


	3. Confusion

**Confusion**

**.**

_**Takes place about a week after the Kyuubi Incident.**_

* * *

.

"Hatake Kakashi." Kakashi whirled, kunai thrown more out of reflex then anything, and twitched- just a bit- when he saw Inu no Taisho. Gold eyes blinked at him and the mouth pulled upwards a little- stretching out blue markings slightly- in something like amused approval, the kunai held almost delicately between a clawed index finger and thumb. "You're reflexes are quite advanced for a human of your age, Hatake Kakashi."

He accepted the kunai back, "...Thanks."

Kakashi remained silent as Inu no Taisho took in his apartment- the only things visible was edge of the loft area he slept, the kitchen spot (more of a corner), a door (which led to a miniscule hallway that held the door to the bathroom, the front door with a washer tucked in between), a table (low enough that he didn't need to deal with chairs, currently covered with kunai and shuriken he'd been sharpening), a light, a futon (more often then not a dog bed for his ninken) and the glass sliding door (which lead to the balcony Sensei had made unnoticeable- to those not _in_ the apartment or actually _on_ it- for him)- before he was regarded again. "You...live alone."

"...Yes?" Kakashi answered, confused at the almost _disapproving_ tone the other used.

"How old are you," Inu no Taisho asked, seeming kinder or softer- _gentler_\- somehow, though the tone remained practically the same. "How long have you lived on your own, Hatake Kakashi?"

A moment of bewildered confusion kept him silent before he answered, "Fifteen. Since I turned nine."

"Hm." the hum was a thoughtful one, the golden eyes were narrowed and it reminded him of when Sensei had been teaching strategy. Inu no Taisho said nothing more before he disappeared, presumably returning back to the summon world.

Kakashi wondered if Inu no Taisho had even said what he'd originally came for.


	4. Interlude: Summoned

**Interlude: Summoned**

**.**

_**Takes place during CH1.**_

* * *

.

Inu no Taisho did not get summoned.

From the moment he'd first became Alpha of the inuyōkai and inugami that made up the ninken summons, he had never been summoned. Sure, he'd occasionally meet with humans whom the lesser inuyokai were summoned by. On occasion he'd even liked them enough to visit the human world and fight alongside them when he noticed them summoning in massive groups but he, personally, had never been summoned.

When he is, for the first time, it is during a nap- the territory had been patrolled and the pups had finally settled down to allow for the adults a moment of rest- and it is to a young-old yōko tearing into a human dwelling and the first words out of him are a flat demand of, "Why have you called me."

The human, tall and lean in a way that reminded him of the faster inuyokai breeds, swallows but meets his gaze and approval curls it's way through his irritation at the determination there. "Can you stop the Kyuubi?"

The tone- the _voice_ and the hair are familiar and he returns, without even acknowledging the paradox of a yōko throwing it's tantrum. "What is your name."

The human eyed the toad leader whom was summoned but answered, "Hatake Kakashi."

(For a moment he thought of Hatake Sakumo.

Of the human's kindness when he dealt with pups, even after the whelps had thrown up on new clothes. Of how the human was the most skilled fighter to have a contract, even if he wasn't regarded as a 'genius' or 'prodigy'. Of how the human didn't only summon ninken for missions- how the ninken returned with stories of hunts with their human, of a pregnant mate who snuck them food, then later of a human whelp who would follow after them like a duckling it's mother and sometimes wouldn't settle down for sleep unless allowed to curl against one of them. Of how the human was one of the few whom didn't approach Inu no Taisho as if he'd _submit_ just because the commanded the lesser inuyōkai. Of fighting alongside the human against swarms of desert-dwellers and their wood-humans, ninken creating a symphony as they bayed their bloodlust to all.

Most of all he remembered the human's loyalty-_ fierce_, bright and as much of a part of the human's being as breathing.)

"You may call me Inu no Taisho." He told the human before turning his attention towards the Kyuubi before giving a brisk nod. "I shall assist you in this deed you have requested, Hatake Kakashi."

_(Because Hatake Sakumo may have been human but he had treated his ninken like _pack_ and that is something to be remembered.)_

It was the only warning he gave before grabbing the little summoner, only letting go once they were safely atop the toad with the blond human whom pulled the little summoner to himself and warily asked, "Who are you?"

"It matters not, human." Inu no Taisho retorted, partially approving the protectiveness the blond human had over the little summoner and partially bristling at the implication the _he_ would harm the son of the human who came the closest to being _pack_. "You need only know that I will stop this Yōko kit from further damaging your village." Then his attention was returned to the Kyuubi as he barked out a command, "Stop, Kyuubi no Yōko, before I am required to use force!"

The yōko, all power yet still lacking wisdom it'd have gained if it had _earned_ it's nine tails, snarled. **"You do not command me!"**

"Very well," He murmured, "Force it is then."

Changing into his inugami form, Inu no Taisho moved swiftly, after flicking a Bijūdama up into the sky and blowing on it to create a barrier around it, darting at the Kyuubi then using his mouth to grab the fox by the scruff and shaking it like a naughty pup, **_"Desist."_**

And the Kyuubi, knowing it was bested, stopped, hanging complacently inside his grip.


	5. Displeasure

**Displeasure**

**.**

_**Takes place about 20 days after CH3.**_

* * *

.

Kakashi returns to Konoha and find's that his apartment is gone.

It is not gone in that it's missing or has been destroyed, it is gone in that someone else's scent fills the space and his own possessions are absent- going to the landlord only reveals that he's no longer listed as a resident, has not been for two weeks.

He had only left on his mission fifteen days ago.

Irritated but not overly concerned (Sensei had been on a long standing mission to convince him to move in with the man and moving him in without his knowledge wouldn't be the oddest thing he'd done), Kakashi heads over to the Hokage's office to give his report.

He is filthy; blood crusting his armor with some dying parts of his hair a rusty red, sweat-blood-water making the cloth stick to skin and grey-pink-red shredded organ (some heart, some brain) clung to his right hand (just barely past his wrist) like leaches. Worse, he smelled _disgusting_\- from the animal droppings used to help get away from a pair of hunter-nin and the drying blood that flaked off as he moved to the decay of charred flesh and the bitter _fear-hate_ scent of his targets that still lingered on him.

He had been really, _really_ looking forwards to a nice shower when he had gotten back, that that hadn't gone as planned turned irritation to something closer to frustrated anger. It is why when he enters the Hokage's office to find Sensei waiting for him with Inu no Taisho, he walks back out and opts to head to the ANBU housing area.

Kakashi didn't know what the two were doing together or what, apparently, they had planned for him but it sure as_ fuck_ could _wait_ until he was showered.


	6. Change

**Change**

**.**

_**Takes place about 6 days after CH5.**_

* * *

.

Kakashi ends up living with Sensei and Kushina.

It wasn't the small, 2DK apartment they had before but a larger 4LDK _house_ that was two floors. His room, like all the bedrooms, is on the second floor but his is at the far end of the hall to theirs- Naruto's beside the master bedroom, though it couldn't be called it's own room as Kushina had knocked down the wall separating the two.

He is far away enough, has taken measures, that Naruto's screaming at night doesn't bother him. And he is vindictive enough to feel small curls of satisfaction at his Sensei's haggard state when they have breakfast. Though his rest-filled nights meant that he watches Naruto a few hours during the day so the Kushina (or, on rare occasions, Sensei) can take a nap before they take over.

Naruto grew fast, as shinobi children tended to, and while he was just beyond a month old, a civilian would likely insist that he were three bordering on four months old.

(Part of him thought of that.

Thought of how many shinobi lived by the _'Live: fast, hard, wild- just show that you **lived**' _mentality. Thought how quickly they grew up, he might have been the youngest but the war had made soldiers out of many children. Thought of how deeply they loved, a dangerous and possessive kind of love that scared civilians many times- a kind of hurried passion born of the thought that they may die the next day. Thought of how early they died, how he didn't even expect to live to see twenty-five. He thought of rabbits; little rodents whom bred quickly and often, whose offspring grew swiftly to do the same because they died so _easily_.

And Kakashi wondered, _what makes us human if we live like that?_)

Already, even though the boy is yet to stand, Kushina is making noises of Kakashi becoming a Jōnin-sensei, of Naruto just _happening_ to be one of his students. He is both flattered that she trust him enough to take care of and teach her first born and terrified at how persistent she is- that he may actually be in charge of little genin without anyone there to tell him if he's not doing it right.

He was a genin for less then a year and, by the time Naruto's around that age, it would have been around two decades ago- he has absolutely _no idea_ what to do with genin.

Through it all, there is a ninken following him and watching him- always, _always_ **_watching_**.


End file.
